Sparklerella
by GirlInTheMask
Summary: After Twilight Sparkle is forced to become a servant to her ungrateful stepfamily, and is denied an invitation to a ball honoring Prince Flash Sentry, only a miracle can help her escape the confines of her prison, and perhaps even find love. A retelling of "Cinderella." First story in the twelve story "Ponytale Theater" series.


_Disclaimer: I do not own My Little Pony. It all belongs to Hasbro._

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**Sparklerella**

Chapter 1 – From Riches to Rags

Once upon a time, in a land far beyond the reach and influence of humans, there was a magical realm populated by equally magical ponies of all kinds. They were all sorts of colors, were intelligent, and could even speak to one another. There were earth ponies, who worked and tilled the ground with their strength, the pegasi who flew the skies and kept control of the weather, and the unicorns, who used the magic of their horns to benefit all of their neighbors. The realm in which they lived was called Equestria, and all the three kinds of ponies lived in peaceful harmony together, a harmony that was kept intact by their wise and beneficent alicorn rulers, the magnanimous King Charlemane and the beautiful Queen Celestia. As long as they ruled the land from their magnificent city of Canterlot, the safety and security of the peace was carefully kept in their hooves.

Just outside this city lived a certain unicorn by the name of Night Light. Handsome, wise, and a well-known and wealthy merchant, he and his wife, the lovely Twilight Velvet, had just become the proud parents of a little filly named Twilight Sparkle. After months of awaiting her arrival, they could hardly contain their joy at the happy years to come. But to the gentle stallion's grief and dismay, those years never came. For not too long after their daughter was born, Night Light's beloved wife succumbed to illness and passed away. After a night spent in tears and near endless kisses on her lifeless hoof, Night Light could only wonder how he was going to raise their little filly without her.

Yet as the little Twilight Sparkle grew, her father eventually found solace in both her lively, exuberant, eager-to-learn personality and innocent beauty, both of which so strongly resembled her mother. All through the day she would ask him all sorts of questions, which he would always take the time to answer no matter how convoluted or strange. She would also come running with radiant excitement to him whenever she learned to lift something with her horn. Indeed, much like the rays of the sun breaking through countless clouds, it seemed as though happiness had managed to find its way to Night Light's heart after the darkness of Twilight Velvet's death.

But although Night Light did everything he could to be the best father he could be, he still knew he could never fill the void his wife surely left. Yes, it was time Twilight Sparkle needed a real mother, and he needed a real wife's touch once again. And so, on a lovely spring day, not long after his daughter earned her cutie mark, Night Light married a second time. He welcomed not only a new wife for him and mother for his daughter, a recently widowed, wealthy, high-society earth pony from Canterlot named Lyrica, but also two fillies who were Twilight's age. Lyrica's daughters, a unicorn named Rarity, and another earth pony named Pinkie Pie.

While a big change, both Night Light and Twilight Sparkle couldn't be happier at the prospect. But what neither knew was that all three members of their new family harbored a silent, hidden envy for Twilight and the love and attention Night Light showered upon her. Whenever they were in his presence, Lyrica, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie were nothing but polite and well-behaved. However, it was not long before the day came that their true nature was brought to light, and that Twilight Sparkle's neat and happy life was forever changed.

It was a bright and sunny day, and Twilight was hard at work cleaning the front parlor of the cottage she and her father had lived in her whole life. Just two weeks before, Night Light had gone on another one of his trading trips, and promised to be back before this week was over. Twilight could hardly wait to hear about the stories he always brought home with him, along with seeing the prized goods he had acquired from fellow traders. No matter what he brought with him from each of his trips though, what Twilight was always happiest to have was the presence of Night Light. She could hardly contain her joy as she dusted all the furniture, washed the windows and floor, and cleaned out the fireplace.

Suddenly, a knock sounded on the front door. Thinking it was her father, Twilight immediately dropped the duster and rushed to the door with a wide smile adorning her face. But instead of Night Light, she was greeted by a unicorn messenger, who carried a folded letter with his horn, and sad-looking frown on his face. Twilight's smile quickly fell upon seeing him, and immediately wondered what content the letter he had for her contained.

"My condolences," he said in a low voice with a nod of his head. Twilight nodded back and took the letter from him, and watched him turn and walk away before she closed the door. She then turned her gaze to the folded piece of paper, and stared at it for a long time, wondering what it said.

"What could it be?" she asked herself. A number of ideas floated around in her head, until one of them made her heart race. Her feelings quickly turned into action, and she unfolded the paper as fast as she could before she held it in front of her face, and began to read. One by one she carefully read every word, her face falling more and more, until the letter finally floated down to the floor, much like her heart had fallen to a low place she didn't even know existed. For a long time she stared at the words on the paper, not wanting to believe for an instant that they were true, until she heard hoofbeats on the stairs behind her.

"Twilight, who was that? And why did they think they could interrupt my beauty sleep?" It was Lyrica, and she was clearly not happy at being awoken, even though she had slept for over an hour. Her frown deepened when she came to her stepdaughter's side and saw a most peculiar look on her face.

"It was a messenger," she replied in a small voice, her eyes still on the letter on the floor.

"Well, what message did he bring?" Lyrica asked. Without waiting for a reply, she pushed Twilight aside to look at the letter herself, and it wasn't long before her face too had fallen much like Twilight's had. When she heard multiple hoofbeats upstairs, she turned her head to see Pinkie Pie and Rarity.

"Oh my dear fillies!" she cried out, ready to run to them and embrace them.

"What is it Mama?!" Pinkie asked, her eyes wide with curiosity, "Is Papa home?! Oh, if he is I can't wait to throw him that party I've been wanting so bad to throw him!"

"It'll be more like a riot with you throwing it," Rarity chided her with a sneering tone, "As for me, I can't wait to see all those luxurious and exotic fabrics and clothes!"

Pinkie glared at her sister. "Oh just admit it! You can't appreciate a good celebration!"

Rarity gladly returned the glare. "And if I'm right you can't appreciated some good quiet time!"

"Enough fillies!" Lyrica called out, quickly ending their fight before it could escalate much further, "We have just received the most terrible news!"

Fearing the worst, Rarity gasped and asked, "Oh no, did Papa lose all his goods? Was there nothing to bring back?!"

"Did he have a party without me?" Pinkie interjected, her wide eyes now due to her own fear.

"Don't be thick you two!" Lyrica silenced them, "Your stepfather is…was…lost at sea! He is dead!"

Both fillies let out loud gasps of shock. "Oh my stars!" Rarity exclaimed, "No beautiful fashions?!"

"And no welcome home party?!" Pinkie added. The sisters then exchanged gaped-mouthed faces, before bursting into tears and rushing over to their mother in a fearful manner.

"I know my dears," Lyrica nodded, "This is indeed a catastrophe! But, as with all catastrophes, I intend to make the most of it!"

Rarity and Pinkie Pie nodded in agreement with their mother, and right there Lyrica began thinking over the funeral they would eventually hold. And all the while, all three remained oblivious to Twilight Sparkle, who could only look to the floor and wonder whether or not she should release the tears that had formed in her eyes. It was as if she had walked into a nightmare, one she knew she would never awaken from. How could she even think about a funeral now when this most tragic of news had been so abrupt? And how was she going to carry on without both her mother and her father at her side?

Before another month passed, the funeral for Night Light was held at the nearby beach. The day was marked, somewhat appropriately, by gray clouds and an equally grim eulogy from a friend of Night Light, who remarked that he was one of the finest stallions he ever knew. Rarity and Pinkie Pie made a great show of tears and weeping, and all of the black-clad guests, most being old friends of Lyrica's, gave their condolences to the mourning family. As for Twilight Sparkle, only her old friend, a baby dragon named Spike, comforted her. And as far as she knew, the tears she shed were the only true ones, dropping into the seawater that seemed only to sadden her even more.

The following day, after a morning spent cleaning the front kitchen to keep herself busy, Twilight was called by Lyrica to a meeting she was holding in the front parlor. And judging by the twisting of her stomach, she believed it had something to do with her father. Still, this was a family meeting. She had an obligation to join them. Like a dutiful daughter, she trotted through the hallways, and met her stepmother and stepsisters in front of the fireplace.

"You wished to see me?" Twilight asked.

"Yes," Lyrica replied with raised eyebrows, "Thank you very much for coming Twilight."

"Of course," Twilight nodded. She was about to take a seat on the fine sofa next to Rarity, but the moment she saw her stepsister's fierce and disapproving frown, she decided against it and instead took a seat on the floor. She, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie then turned their attention to Lyrica.

"Now, you're all probably wondering why I called this meeting," she said.

"Indeed," Rarity agreed, "I was just washing my face after yesterday's crying fit."

"Pay attention Rarity!" Lyrica chided her, "This is serious!"

"So is my beautiful self," Rarity argued, "My appearance is not going to keep itself up."

"Neither is the matter of who should handle what in this household," Lyrica frowned, "Am I going to have to tape all of your mouths shut while I speak?"

Twilight, Rarity, and Pinkie all shook their heads no, satisfying Lyrica enough to continue. "Good." Then, after a heavy sigh, she said, "Night Light's death was difficult for us all to handle. But, we shall all pull through with our heads held high. And to do that, we must all shoulder different responsibilities. Now, as Night Light's widow, I am naturally head of this household, and thus responsible for issuing out respective duties."

Turning to her younger daughter, Lyrica said, "Pinkie Pie, as this family's, party enthusiast, you will be responsible for entertaining any visitors we may have."

"Oh goody!" Pinkie shook with glee, "I can't wait! I'm already putting together plans for our next tea party! It'll be tea-tastic!"

"I'm sure," Lyrica nodded with a less than enthusiastic smile. She then turned to her more favored daughter. "Rarity, as the older daughter, and the most likely to marry first, you shall keep your duty of keeping up your image, both in appearance and in social graces."

"Absolutely Mama," Rarity showed off a proud smile, "I am already one of the greatest, if not _the_ greatest, of all of Canterlot's ladies. I'm sure I'll be married in no time!"

Lyrica nodded in agreement, and at last turned to her stepdaughter, whose eyebrows were raised in curiosity. "Twilight Sparkle, as we have covered all of the most important duties, you shall be left with keeping this house running smoothly. That means cooking, cleaning, and doing pretty much anything else of the sort."

Twilight's frown deepened as soon as she heard her stepmother's words. Her? Do all of the cooking and cleaning? Why she'd practically be a servant to her stepfamily. Was it really necessary? Twilight wondered so, and it wasn't long before she voiced her concerns. "Um," she started, trying to find the right words, "pardon me but, wouldn't it be a bit, fairer, if all of us did something around the house, just to pitch in. I mean, I don't think I could possibly do it all by myself."

Lyrica immediately gave her a look that told her she strongly disagreed. It was so sharp it managed to make her wince. "I believe my initial proposal was fair enough Twilight," she said with a matching tone of voice, "You are not my biological daughter, but you are my legal one. I can, if I wish, simply throw you out of the house to fend for yourself, since everything your father left is mine. Consider yourself fortunate that I'm giving you such gracious treatment. You will do as I say."

Though her mouth came open, Twilight, not wishing to add further to the now evident conflict, reluctantly nodded. As much as it pained her to admit it, her stepmother was right. And Lyrica knew it, proved by her following, rather smug, smile. "Good." Then, addressing her whole family, she said, "Do I hear in favor of these proposals?"

"Aye!" Rarity and Pinkie Pie enthusiastically exclaimed.

"Excellent!" Lyrica's smile grew, though she did not wait, nor want, to hear Twilight's opinion. "The matter is settled then! This meeting may adjourn!"

Rarity and Pinkie promptly agreed. But while they and their mother quickly went back to the things they were doing before, Twilight continued to sit on the parlor floor, staring at it in confusion. She could only wonder what had just happened during this short meeting, what would further happen to her, and how her life could change so dramatically in such a short amount of time. How was it going to be possible to perform every cooking and cleaning job in the house and still keep her horn on her head? She didn't know. But she knew she would soon find out.

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_Reviews would be appreciated._


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